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Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

Susan Boyle and the Power of Optimism

Unless you have just now emerged from a coma you are aware of Susan Boyle.  For the past week Ms. Boyle has brought more tears and more joy than any single figure in recent history.  To put the scope of her impact on society in perspective, the YouTube clip of the “Yes We Can Song” that was incredibly popular during the election has garnered 17.5 million hits in more than one year, the videos of Susan’s song have gotten 30 million hits in less than one week (the first clip posted is now at 19 million views and went up 300,000 in the last hour).

The question is: “Why?”  The answer?

Hope.

In the full cyclic nature of society we find ourselves looking back on a peak of optimism followed by a trough of pessimism over the past year.  Susan has provided us a view of another peak ahead and will, I believe, lead us up the slope this spring and summer as we find the hope we misplaced in recent months.  And this time there is no opposition motivated to tear it apart, to make us question the power of “nice words”.

It really is impossible to overstate the power of positive thinking.  When we are depressed, nothing seems possible, when we are hopeful nothing seems impossible.  As someone we know once said, “there has never been anything false about hope.”

UPDATE:

The best I can come up with to sum up my take on the importance of public moments of optimism and our struggle to appreciate them is embedded in Darian Duchan’s classic poem:

“…

but we’re a needy people.

Demanding so much from our leaders

That we forget they are human beings –

Placed on pedestals so high

No mere mortal can reach them.

Longing for saints when all we really want

Is someone to aspire to be like.

To remind us that we can all be better.

But our hearts have been broken.

It’s as if we are learning to love again.”


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73 comments

  1. Peter Jukes

    It’s a great story, and she well deserves the hits and attention. I came late to John’s original diary (and just checked your wikipedia link) and what makes Susan Boyle an iconic figure is that she is beautiful character, with a beautiful voice, and all that makes the culture of celebrity beauty (including the judges Piers Moron, Amanda Botox Holden and of course Simon “Does Your mother know?” Cowell) look ugly by comparison.

    That combined with hope for recognition of hidden talents is a great story.

    But without raining on any hope parade, and without undermining anything of Ms Boyles, the reality of UK reality TV is that the producers (and Cowell is one) would have concocted this in advance. Most of the narratives are scripted in advance, and then ‘cast’ after the fact. Sarah Boyle deserves her status, but the TV companies and attendant press will be the main beneficiaries.

    This does nothing to undermine the emotional reaction that you, I and millions have had to the Youtube video, and Sarah Boyle’s amazing dignity. I hope Cowell’s production company, and the media in general, listen to the message they’ve got from all of us – we don’t want self destructive  surgically enhanced celebrities any more – but I wouldn’t bank on it.

    Perhaps though, thanks to peer to peer networks like Youtube, we don’t have to accepted their confected icons anymore, and can elevate some real people for a change

  2. trustno1

    Paul Potts…does he fall into the same category?  I loved Ms. Boyle, but I have to admit, the cynic in me thought…wait a minute.

    That does not diminish what I felt when I saw Ms. Boyle, however.  Her beauty and dignity are incredible.  

    (For those who missed Mr. Potts…)

  3. John Allen

    It isn’t about what happens to her in the future. It isn’t about her looks or whether or not she is homely or, as some have said, ugly. It also isn’t about whether this event will make a big difference in the world or in people’s attitudes in the future. It is more and less than all of that.

    She is not Jesus or Mohamed. People aren’t going to start a new religion around her. She is one lonely individual who had a brief shining moment of glory. Whether she goes on to become a recording star is of little moment to the rest of us.

    Her looks are only important in that they remind us of how much each of us tends to prejudge others. Her, admittedly, glorious voice matters, because it reminds us that there can be hidden beauty in anyone. Her age matters, because she is at the point where most people have settled into their middle-aged routines and given up the dreams of their youth.

    The cynics among us have pointed out the packaging that surrounds any entertainment event or performer in this place and time. They say the event means less, because she will be buffed and polished for the ravenous entertainment market of the modern world. These points may or may not be true, but they don’t matter either way.

    What matters is that she had that one brief shining moment that many people dream of, but never achieve. She has affected millions. She has brought tears to millions of eyes and smiles to millions of faces. Why would anyone want to denigrate that impact?

    How many tears of joy will you cause in your lifetime? How many smiles will you bring to other people’s faces? Susan Boyle has caused millions of both of those. Millions. That may be of no concesequence in a cynical world, but it is huge in mine.

    Millions of people are not going to suddenly find the inspiration to work hard to reach their dreams because of Susan, but a few will hold on to those dreams a little longer because of her. Will any of them reach their dream? Who knows? Who cares? That isn’t the point. The point is that they will have those dreams. They will live a slightly richer life, because of those dreams. Their drab world will be slightly enriched because of Susan Boyle’s performance.

    The world isn’t made up of movie stars and celebrities. The world is made up of people like you and I. The ‘little people’, like Susan. The average. The homely. The meek and quiet ones who make small marks in life and are then forgotten by all but a few. Susan won’t change the world. She will, and has, made a small impact on many people. It is those small impacts that ultimately form each of our personalities. That is Susan Boyle’s gift to us.

    I can only speak for myself. My life isn’t so great and perfect that I can throw away a moment that brings a genuine smile of pleasure to my face. There have been far too many sad and painful events that brought tears to my eyes to throw away the misty-eyed pleasure I received from watching that video. I treasure these moments and I owe Susan a debt of gratitude.

    On March 26th, I celebrated my 62nd birthday. I am edging up to retirement age. Am I supposed to live a life without dreams from now until I die? I say, “NO!” I still have dreams. I hope to still have them on the day I die. One of my dreams is to write a poem as good as this one by Langston Hughes.


    Dreams

    Hold fast to dreams

    for if dreams die

    life is a broken-winged bird

    that cannot fly.

    Hold fast to dreams

    for when dreams go

    life is a barren field

    frozen with snow.

    Langston Hughes

    1902-1967

    Thank you, Susan. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and from that small part of my soul where my dreams are hidden away.

  4. alyssa chaos

    I just generally think that hope is something different to every person, kinda undefinable in a way. So sure Susan Boyle could inspire hope in people.

    Personally I didn’t feel any hope/inspiration from her singing [but then again I am a heartless robot], but it did remind me that all singing shows are kinda lame.

    People find hope in a lot of things; in random occurrences, in simple things,in people….in just about everything.

    Hope happens, I wont tell you that its false [especially when I dont know the truth.]

  5. vcalzone

    In a year where the political community alone has seen three people (Palin, Plumber, Blagojevich) get a taste of fame and then let it go completely to their heads, polluting our society even now, it’s really lovely to see someone like Ms. Boyle get a turn. I know she’s British and all and that we can’t have her, but it’s still a tiny story. I’d like it if we started seeing that sort of humility as a good thing.

    The Obama family has been good for that as well. They’ve put themselves out there precisely as much as they think will satisfy people. I’ve only seen the kids about five times since January, and that makes me happy too.

  6. jonlester

    at age 39. We know what happens when we don’t try.

    Thing is, “American Idol” itself disqualifies anyone over 30 from competing. I’m glad Susan got this opportunity through the British show.

  7. GrassrootsOrganizer

    The de rigeur preface — got goose bumps, felt all hopeful for myself all over, sure seems like a really nice unassuming honest likable soul, has a strong solid voice, hope is always good, not meant to take anything away from her AT ALL.

    Ahem.

    Yeah, I’m starting to get the creeps too, but then that’s not all that unusual for me.  I’ve also got a serious case of the creeps going over the deification of Sandra Cantu, except worse, because it’s creepier.  I’ve got the same sort of creepy feeling I had when the death of Princess Di completely swamped the death of Mother Theresa two days later.  All props to Susan Boyle, but there’s some bizarre attachment disorders in this mix too.  

    First off, we were played.  I admit it, I was played. I watched the thing four times in a row and got chills every time.  And it was only the next day that I actually SAW how I was manipulated to get those chills.  I kinda felt like I just got taken by a carnie —  except this time it didn’t cost me twenty bucks and I didn’t feel like a complete ass afterwards.

    For example, the first shot of her she’s pushing a huge wad of cake in her mouth looking as socially inept as one possibly could.  Cut to the shot of her full figured silhouette, backlit no less.  Then, of course, get the spinster to talk about her cat.  Simon eye roll when she gives her age?  check.  Snotty looking teenage girl looking amused?  check.  Cue the song. Skinny young blond bombshell knocked back on her ass and apologizing?  Mission accomplished.   Suckers.

    It feels to me like Susan Boyle hit a collective nerve or set of nerves — age, self image, deferred dreams, being misjudged and mocked.  On her own it might have been a finger poke — but what we got instead was a clever producer’s scalpel.  

    oh, good lord there she is on Larry King.  Now I’m starting to feel sorry for her.  Larry.  Christ.  She sang a fucking song.  Settle the fuck down.

    Oh well, I guess I’m in the cynics corner.  But it was a hoot for 48 hours.  

  8. Chris Blask

    which I should really expect on the Moose in the first place.

    I haven’t felt eloquent enough in recent days to cogently respond to the primary points of the debate so my thanks to those who have done better than I from all sides.  I hesitate to debate the downsides of the Susan Boyle story (still surprised that there are deemed to be so many) because I just don’t feel full of words these days and I don’t really want to maladroitly stir the pot.  Rereading the few words in my diary I suppose I can see how my words could already be read as conveying more import to her as a person than I feel or that she deserves to be burdened with.  This is really much more about the value of optimism than it is about Susan and it seems we struggle with maintaining optimism regardless.

    The best I can come up with to sum up my take on the importance of public moments of optimism and our struggle to appreciate them is embedded in Darian Duchan’s classic poem:

    “…

    but we’re a needy people.

    Demanding so much from our leaders

    That we forget they are human beings –

    Placed on pedestals so high

    No mere mortal can reach them.

    Longing for saints when all we really want

    Is someone to aspire to be like.

    To remind us that we can all be better.

    But our hearts have been broken.

    It’s as if we are learning to love again.”

    We want to hope, but we are afraid to.

    (if I try to adapt that poem to any more purposes it will officially have more uses than duct tape…)

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